On Friday 1st March, the Careers department were delighted to welcome back DAHS alumna (2010) Harriet Brettle for a Lunchbox Lecture.
A passionate science communicator, Harriet gave an inspiring presentation to girls from Years 9 upwards about the various careers related to Planetary Science. Harriet is currently a business analyst at Astroscale where she is developing a commercial solution to the problem of space debris.
Prior to working in the space industry, Harriet graduated with a degree in mathematics from the University of Warwick. She then worked at the Bank of England on medium term strategy and research. Deciding that a career in banking wasn’t for her, she decided to pursue her passion for space science, studying a master in Planetary Science at the California Institute of Technology in 2017/18.
Harriet thoroughly enjoyed the engaging session, she said: “It was incredibly rewarding to return to BGS (then DAHS) and to talk with current students about careers in the space industry. I hope through sharing my journey that students can see there are so many different careers available and you can create your own path to your perfect job!”
Holly Smith (Year 11) said: “I really enjoyed Harriet’s talk, because not only did we learn about her current work on cleaning space debris but she also highlighted the many different career paths- including hers from maths to space - and exciting opportunities available in the space industry. It was inspiring to hear how she overcame many challenges in order to pursue her dream of working in the space industry.”
Mrs Lowe, Head of Careers, adds: “It was inspiring to have such an honest recount of Harriet’s interesting education journey since leaving school. Harriet gave great insight to following a passion and not being risk adverse, challenging herself and her expectations.
“Harriet explained her current profession involving removing Space Junk was not an option when she was at school. There is the national expectation that 65% of jobs by 2030 will not exist today due to Artificial Intelligence and Technology upgrades.
